1. Technical Field
This invention relates to containers for holding objects or storing objects, and in particular, to a flexible lightweight reusable container, case, or receptacle for securely holding or storing objects such as eyewear, handheld electronic devices, pagers, cell phones, etc.
2. Related Art
Objects such as eyewear, handheld electronic devices, pagers, cell phones, etc., are often relatively fragile, and as such, are typically protected by providing a case or container for holding, carrying, and/or storing such objects. Over the years, various schemes have been suggested or adopted for ensuring that objects held or carried within the case or container are partially or completely protected. However, such schemes are subject to several important limitations.
For example, objects such as prescription or non-prescription eyeglasses are often provided to a user along with either a soft case, or a hard clamshell type case. Both types of cases have similar problems. For example, both soft cases and hard cases for eyewear are typically made from, or externally covered with, a smooth or semi-smooth material such as plastic or leather. Consequently, because such cases are relatively smooth, when one is placed in a loose pocket, such as a shirt or jacket pocket, the case tends to slip out of the pocket when a user bends over, runs, moves suddenly, or is otherwise active. As a result, damage to or loss of the object within the case is a frequent problem. Further, users often place such cases on a car dashboard while driving. Because such cases are relatively smooth, as described above, they tend to slide around and fall off of the dashboard as the car moves about. Clearly such problems apply to cases for many other types of objects, including, for example, handheld electronic devices, pagers, cell phones, etc.
An additional problem of conventional soft or hard cases is that they tend to be rather bulky. Consequently, while the object contained within such cases might readily fit within a pocket such as a shirt or pant pocket, the case itself is often either too large to fit within such pockets, or if it does fit, it can create an unsightly bulge within the pocket. Further, where objects are to be carried within purses or book bags, the conventional cases are also often considered to be too large or bulky to be used. Consequently, users often simply remove the object from the case and place the object itself directly within a pocket, purse, or book bag. Unfortunately, the object is then subject to being damaged or scratched either by the material of the pocket, purse or book bag, or by other items contained within the pocket, purse or book bag, such as, for example, zippers, buttons, keys, coins, etc.
Further, because conventional soft or hard cases tend to be bulky as described above, once a user removes an object from such cases, the user is then faced with the problem of what to do with the case. Thus, for example, in accordance with the reasons described above, the user is unlikely to place such a case in the user""s pocket. Consequently, such cases are often misplaced or left behind after the user removes an object from the case.
In addition, both conventional soft and hard cases or containers for carrying small objects such as, for example, eyeglasses, handheld electronic devices, pagers, cell phones, etc., tend to be relatively rigid. Consequently, such cases or containers provide little if any protection against shock, such as when the case is dropped. In fact, with respect to hard cases, objects carried within such cases tend to bounce around within the case as the case is subjected to shock or vibration experienced when a user that is carrying such a case runs, jumps, falls, or drops the case. Such bouncing around within the case or container can be damaging to eyeglasses or sensitive electrical devices.
Therefore, in order to overcome the limitations of current cases and containers, what is needed is a case or container that is fabricated so as to avoid the problem of smooth or semi-smooth material coverings so as to prevent the container from slipping or falling from the user""s pocket, and to prevent the container from falling off or sliding along surfaces such as a car dashboard, as described above. Further, such a container should be thin enough or small enough to be placed within a user""s pocket, purse, or book bag, whether or not an object is contained within the case. In addition, the material forming the interior of such a container should protect items contained within, such as glass or plastic lenses, eyeglasses, or display screens from being scratched or otherwise damaged either by the material of a pocket, purse, or book bag in which the container is placed, or by other items within the pocket, purse, or book bag. Finally, such a container should provide a level of protection against shock and vibration for objects held within the container.
The present invention involves a thin lightweight container, such as a case or receptacle, for holding or storing objects such as, for example, eyeglasses, handheld electronic devices, pagers, cell phones, etc. This container satisfies all of the foregoing needs. Specifically, the container is preferably thin enough that it can be easily inserted into a user""s pocket when it contains an object as described above. The container can be manufactured from any conventional material such as, for example, a cloth, fabric, leather, rubber, plastic, or polymer material, or some combination thereof. Further, the material comprising the outer surface of the container is designed to provide a sufficient friction force when in a user""s pocket, or in contact with a surface such as a car dash or a boat deck, to prevent or reduce the likelihood of the container slipping out of the pocket or sliding along or falling off of the surface. In addition, the material comprising the interior of the container is soft and flexible in order to protect items contained within, such as glass or plastic lenses, eyeglasses, or display screens, from being scratched or otherwise damaged by the container itself, by the material of a pocket, purse, or book bag in which the container is placed, or by other items within the pocket, purse, or book bag. Also, in one embodiment, the container is soft and flexible in order to prevent or reduce shock and vibration from being transmitted to objects contained within. Such shock or vibration can occur when a user that is carrying the case runs, jumps, falls, or drops the container, or when the container is placed on the dash of a moving car, or on the surface of a moving boat or other vehicle. Finally, the container of the present invention can be manufactured in any desired size or shape to provide storage for any particular object of any particular size.
In general, a container according to present invention is embodied in a flexible container sized to snugly fit particular objects. The container is generally shaped as a flattened tube, closed at one end, with an elastically restricted opening extending from an opposite end. The elastic restriction of the open end serves to prevent objects from inadvertently falling out of the container, regardless of the position or orientation of the container. Further, in one embodiment, the container includes a stiffener member along at least one longitudinal edge of the flattened tube for maintaining the general shape of the flexible container and further serving to provide additional protection for any objects held within the container by reducing potential longitudinal deformation of the container.
Specifically, the container of the present invention, being generally shaped as a flattened tube, has a generally rectangular profile. The elastically restricted open end extends from the generally rectangular profile of the container, and has a generally trapezoidal shape of decreasing dimension as it extends from the container. Consequently, the edge of the open end of the container has a smaller cross section than the rectangular body of the container. In operation, the edge of the elastically restricted open end of the container is pulled open, then the object to be stored within the container is inserted into the open end, and thus into the rectangular body of the container. Once the object has been inserted into the body of the container, the edge of the open end of the container is released, and the elasticity of the open end of the container naturally restricts that open end to prevent the object contained within the container from inadvertently falling or sliding out of the container. Removal of the object from within the container is accomplished by simply reversing the aforementioned insertion process.
Additional embodiments of a container according to the present invention include use of a printable outer surface for printing, silk-screening, or otherwise placing logos, advertising, or other text or images on the container. In addition, in another embodiment of a container according to the present invention, the container is fabricated from a material suitable for cleaning glass or plastic lenses, eyeglasses, or display screens of electronic devices without scratching or otherwise damaging such lenses, eyeglasses or display screens. Consequently, such a container is useful for both storing and cleaning lenses, eyeglasses and electronic devices with display screens. Further, in a related embodiment, the container is fabricated from a washable material, such as for example, a natural or synthetic fabric or material, or some combination thereof. As a result, the container can be easily cleaned after being used itself to clean lenses, eyeglasses, or the display screens of electronic devices.
In another embodiment, the container is fabricated, at least in part, from a buoyant material, such as, for example, a flexible foam, or neoprene material, so as to provide floatation for the container and any objects contained therein in the event that the container is placed or dropped into water or other liquid. Such an embodiment is particularly useful where the container is to be used in an environment such as near a swimming pool, lake or ocean, where there is a possibility that a user might drop the container into the swimming pool, lake or ocean, or over the side of a boat or other watercraft. In a related embodiment, the container is either coated with, or fabricated from material that is partially or fully waterproof in order to limit or prevent water or other liquids from entering the container. Such an embodiment is particularly useful for protecting objects within the container from spills of various liquids, such as, for example, water, soda, cleaning fluids, ink, etc.
In still another embodiment, the material used to fabricate the container is itself elastic, such that it expands to conform to the shape of any object placed therein. Consequently, the object is held securely, while being cushioned from shock and vibration, and fully or partially protected from damage caused by either dropping the container, or by dropping other objects onto the container. Finally, it should be appreciated that any or all of the alternate embodiments, as described throughout this document, may be used in any desired combination.
The foregoing and still further features and advantages of the present invention as well as a more complete understanding thereof will be made apparent from a study of the following detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.